armed with pangas and firearms allegedly hijacked a Verulam mother and her two children in Dawncrest, Verulam, on Thursday afternoon.

Prem Balram, the head of Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), said they were called out to the scene in Flamingo Way.

"On arrival, reaction officers were informed that 10 suspects in a white VW Polo and a silver Toyota Etios confronted a female as she was driving out of her relatives' yard. The hijackers were armed with pangas and firearms. They forced the woman and her daughters, aged two and four, out of the car, a Honda Brio.

"The robbers were about to enter the house, but were disturbed. They sped off in the victim’s vehicle. No injuries were reported."

He said reaction officers began searching for the vehicle and the suspects.

"We received a tip-off that the hijacked vehicle was seen heading towards Inanda. Reaction officers proceeded in the direction and recovered the hijacked vehicle abandoned."

Balram said the mother and her children were traumatised by the incident.

“Crime in Verulam is out of control. Robberies and hijackings are occurring every single day.”

The POST

18:T470,TEN suspects armed with pangas and firearms allegedly hijacked a Verulam mother and her two children in Dawncrest, Verulam, on Thursday afternoon.Prem Balram, the head of Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), said they were called out to the scene in Flamingo Way."On arrival, reaction officers were informed that 10 suspects in a white VW Polo and a silver Toyota Etios confronted a female as she was driving out of her relatives' yard. The hijackers were armed with pangas and firearms. They forced the woman and her daughters, aged two and four, out of the car, a Honda Brio."The robbers were about to enter the house, but were disturbed. They sped off in the victim’s vehicle. No injuries